Cooking device



June29, 1937. c. E. ROSS ET AL 2,085,511

COOKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 26, 1955 cmaSEJaar GHTJ Patented June 29, 1937 PATET OFMQE COOKING DEVICE.

Charles Edward Ross and Thomas Edgar Perks, London, England Application August 26',

1935, Serial No. 37,982

In Great Britain September 4, 1934 8 Claims.

This invention relates to cooking devices more particularly but not exclusively for cooking food such as fish and chipped potatoes and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character.

It has hitherto beenthe general cutom to pro vide such .devices with arrangements for withdrawing the fumes of cooking to the outer air, these arrangements usually comprising a hood located at some distance above the food container and in communication with the outer air through a conduit containing a fan or its equivalent adapted to establish a flow of air from the interior of the hood to the outer air. The

hood is necessarily located at some considerable distance above the food container in order to allow the cook freedom in attending to the food while cooking and the overall height of the apparatus and its total bulk is consequently greatly increased owing to the provision of the hood. Moreover fumes of cooking can escape to the room in which the device is located owing to the relatively great distance of the hood above the food container.

According to the principal feature of the present invention, however, arrangements are pro.- vided for establishing a flow of air downwardly towards and over the top of the food container so as to withdraw the fumes of cooking.

In order that the invention may be readily understood it will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:--

Figure l is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional view of the cooking device without the cover.

Figure .2 is a partial view illustrating a detail of the device.

Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional view showing one form of cover as applied to the device;

Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic View partly in section illustrating a further form of cover applicable to the device.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the exhaust box I serving as the base of the device is of sheet metal and cylindrical in form with a circular base and flanged inwardly at its top edge, the flange 2 of the exhaust box I being reinforced by a circular member 3 of angle iron. A hollow inverted truncated conical member 4 of sheet metal projects downwardly within the open top of the exhaust box 1! being automatically centered by the circular member 3 or the flange 2 of the exhaust box i the conical member 4 being provided at its top edge with an outwardly extending flange portion 5 which rests under the weight of the conical member 4 upon the flange 2 of the exhaust box I or upon the circular reinforcing member 3. The outer edge 6 of the flange of the conical member is turned or rolled upwardly and serves to centre the outer casing l, which is of sheet metal and of cylindrical form and rests under its own weight on the outwardly extending flange 5 of the inverted conical member 4 and applies the said flange to the inwardly projecting flange 2 of the exhaust box I.

Also resting under its own weight on the outwardly extending flange 5 of the inverted conical member 4 and applying the said flange to that of the exhaust box I is a stand 8 for the inner casing 9 which is of sheet metal and of cylindrical form with a circular base. This stand 8 is automatically centred within the outer casing I being of external dimensions nearly equal to the internal dimensions of the outer casing l, whilst the inner casing 9 is automatically centred by be ing arranged to be accommodated within a circular recess II] in the top of the stand 8.

At the top edge of the inner casing 9, which may be lagged or not as desired, an inwardly projecting flange II is provided and the food container I2 is automatically centred within the aperture at the top of the inner casing 9, the food container I2 being of sheet metal and cylindrical in form with a circular base and an outwardly extending flange I3 at the top edge which is arranged to rest under the weight of the food container I2 on the inwardly extending flange II of the inner casing 9.

A hollow inverted truncated conical member I4 of sheet metal is arranged to be supported by and self centred within the top of the outer casing I, this conical member constituting the flange extending inwardly somewhat over the top of the food container and referred to hereinbefore.

Thus with the exhaust box I as a base each of the external members of the device namely the outer casing 'l and the conical member I4 constituting the flange at the top of the outer casing is automatically centred and supported under its own weight on the next lower member, whilst a similar method of construction is adopted, as

will be evident, as regards the other or internal members of the device. This method of construction facilitates assembly and the taking apart of the members of the device for cleaning and inspection.

It may here be mentioned that the inwardly projecting flange I4 at the top of the outer casing constitutes or serves to support the hopper through which the food container I2 is filled.

Communication between the inner and outer chambers l and I3 is provided for through apertures I! in the inner casing 9 just below the inwardly projecting flange II at the top edge of the casing 9. Access to the heating means here shown as a gas burner device 40 contained in the inner chamber |5 may be had through apertures l8 and IS in the outer and inner casings and 9, (Figure 2) a flange 2|) being provided around the apertures between the two casings so that the apertures 8 and I9 are completely cut off from the chambers l6 between the two casings and 9. The aperture l8 may be provided with a door in order to avoid loss of suction. In order to enable the suction in the chamber l6 between the two casings to be readily controlled a conical valve member 2| is provided which is adapted to be raised or lowered within the inverted conical member 4 projecting downwardly within the open top of the suction box I so as to increase or restrict the passage through the inverted truncated conical member 4 between the suction box and the chamber l6 between the casings and 9. This conical valve member 2| is suspended by a rod 22 'mtegral with a lever 23 which projects to the outside of the outer casing through apertures 42 in the inner and outer casings surrounded by a member similar to the member 20 surrounding the apertures I8 and I9 (Figure 2). This lever 23 is arranged to cooperate with a ramp 43 such that movement of the lever about a horizontal arc will cause the required upward and downward movement of the conical valve member 2|. In order to prevent the suction box I from being cut off altogether from the chamber [6 between the outer and inner casings and 9, the conical valve member 2| may have apertures 24 therein as shown in Figure 1 providing for minimum suction in the said chamber when the conical valve member 2| is seated within the inverted truncated conical member 4 with which it co-operates. A readily removable tray 25 is provided within the suction box to catch drips of oil or the like.

The exhaust box is connected to a suitable exhauster here shown as a fan 4| which as will be evident will cause when in operation a flow of air downwardly towards and over the top of the food container l2 and over the flange |3 of the latter below the inwardly projecting flange l4 and thence downwardly in the chamber 6 which is in communication with the exhaust box through suitable apertures 39 in the top of the stand 8 thus withdrawing the fumes of cooking.

When the food container H is to be heated by gas heating, the burner or burners are provided in the chamber l5 under the food container l2 and the hot gases rise in the chamber I5 between the food container l2 and the inner casing 9 and are drawn through the apertures I1 and downwardly through the chamber I6 to the exhaust box Referring now to Figure 3 the cover is constituted by a hopper 26 of inverted conical form and having a central aperture 21 therein normally when cooking is in progress closed by a conical member 28 the apex of which is directed upwardly into the conical base of the hopper, the diameter of the base of the conical member being larger than the diameter of the aperture. Normally, when cooking is in progress, the conical member 28 is supported in any suitable manner, as for instance by a counterweight 29, in

such a position that it supports the hopper at a relatively short distance away from the inwardly projecting flange l4 of the outer casing 7 so as to permit air to be drawn into the casing 1 at or near the edge of the said flange. If it is desired to inspect or withdraw the contents of the food container |2 or to add to the contents, the conical member 28 is lowered so as to permit the hopper 26 to seat on the flange l4, further lowering of the conical member 28 as will be evident opening the aperture 21 in the hopper. On the other hand when it is desired after the cooking process is finished to obtain readier access to the interior of the food container 2 for cleaning or other purposes, the conical member 28 may be raised carrying with it the hopper 26.

Referring now to Figure 4 the conical member 28 is in this embodiment located wholly within the hopper 26 with its apex directed upwardly, the hopper 2B and conical member 28' being secured to the left hand ends of arms 30 and 3| respectively adapted to be rotated about horizontal axes 32 and 33 respectively near the right hand ends of the arms so as to raise or lower the hopper 26' or conical member 28 as the case may be. The arm 3| carrying the conical member 28' is located above the other arm and is provided at the right hand end with a cam surface 34 while the right hand end of the arm 3|] carrying the hopper 26 is provided with a lug 35 extending upwardly at right angles to the arm,

the cam surface 34 on the arm 3| being arranged 1 to co-operate with the lug as will now be described.

Normally while cooking is in progress the two ber 28' is horizontal, the cam surface 34 on this arm co-operates with the lug 35 on the arm 30 so as to hold the arm 30 in the horizontal position (as shown) in which the hopper 26 is maintained in a position a short distance above the flange M of the outer casing 1 so that air can be drawn into the chamber H5 at or near the edge of the flange M, the conical member 28 under these conditions maintaining the aperture 21 in the hopper 26 closed.

When during the cooking process it is desired to inspect the contents of the container l2 or to remove some of the contents or add to the latter, the arm 3| carrying the conical member 28 is rotated upwardly about its horizontal axis of rotation, whereupon the cam 34 permits the arm 30 carrying the hopper 26 to rotate under the action of gravity in the opposite direction until the hopper 26 rests on the flange M of the outer casing 1 and thus prevents the access of air to the casing I and container |2 at or near the edge of the flange l4. When the arm 3| carrying the conical member 28 is again lowered, the cam 34 acting on the lug 35 will again raise the arm 30 and the hopper 26 carried thereby so as to close the aperture 21' in the hopper 26 and raise the latter a short distance above the flange I4.

On the other hand when it is desired to obtain readier access to the container for cleaning or other purposes the two arms 30 and 3| may be raised simultaneously, the arm 30 carrying the hopper 26' co-operating with the arm 3| carrying the conical member 28. In order to facilitate this operation a counterweight 36 is suspended from the lug 35 on the arm 30 carrying the hopper 26. The counterweight 36 is suspended from the lug 35 at a point 31 at a higher level than the axis of rotationf32' of the arm 30' on which this lug 35 is provided, so that owing to, the shifting of the centre of gravity due to the upward movement of the arm, the arms 30 and 3|, the hopper 26 and the conical member 28 will be held in theraised position by the counterweight. The conical member 28' is slotted at 38 as shown in Figure '41 The inner and outer chambers l and 16 may be entirely separated from one another the apertures H of Figure 1 being omitted so that onlythe: fumes' of cooking are withdrawn by the exhauster. A suitable flue may be provided connected to the inner chamber for the disposal of the products of combustion of the heating means which may be constituted for instance by a gas heater, coke fire or oil of cooking and substantially odourless.

Furthermore, the greater concentration of the fumes or vapours of cooking makes it worth while to condense the steam and cooking oil contained thereby and separate the oil which may be used again for cooking purposes or for soap making for instance. The absence of the products of combustion from the fumes or vapours of cooking is moreover desirable in that the condensed products are free from the poisonous condensates of the product-s of combustion, which, even if the condensed products are not to be re-used, being of a highly corrosive nature would necessitate the employment of somewhat costly apparatus to deal with them with a view to their disposal.

As will be appreciated any desired number of cooking devices may be assembled together upon a common exhaust box of any suitable shape or form.

It will be evident that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of the parts hereinbefore described which may be varied as desired to suit particular requirements without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the food container, an outer casing spaced from and surrounding the inner'casing and having its top edge located at a relatively short distance above the top edge of the food container, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top of the food container, heating means located in the heating space between the food container and the inner casing, and suction means connected to the suction space between the inner and outer casings.

2. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the food container, an outer casing spaced from and surroundingthe inner casing and having its top edge located at a relatively short distance above heating means located in theheating space between the food container and the inner casing, and suction'm'eansconnected to the suctionspace between the inner and outer casings, communication being provided between the heating space and the suction: space adjacent the top or these spaces.

3. A cooking device comprising incomb'in'ati'on a' suction box, suction" means connected to said box, an outer casing supportedrby its own weight upon the suction box, centering means for said outer casing associated with said box, a stand member supported by its own weight. upon the suctionbOxcenteringrmeans for said stand member, an inner casing spaced from said outer casing and supported by its own weight on said box, centering meansfor the inner casing, associated with said stand member, a food container spaced from said inner casing and supported by its own weight. on said inner casing,;centeringmeans for said food container, associatedwith the inner casing, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top edge Oil 1118 food container and supported by its own weight on the outer casing, centering means forsaid flange and heating means in the space between the food container and the inner casing, communication being provided between the suction box and the space between the inner and outer casings.

4. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the food container, an outer casing spaced from and surrounding the inner casing and having its top edge located at a relatively short distance above the top edge of the food container, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top of the food container, heating means located in the heating space between the food container and the inner casing, a cover normally permitting air to be drawn into the food container at the edge of the flange, a member normally closing an aperture in said cover and means for moving said member so as to uncover said aperture whilst cutting 01? the admission of air at the edge of the flange.

5. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the 'food container, an outer casing spaced from and surrounding the inner casing and having its top edge located at a relatively short distance above the top edge of the food container, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top of the food container, heating means located in the heating space between the food container and the inner casing, suction means connected to the suction space between the inner andouter casings, an aperture in the inner casing, an aperture in the outer casing and means connecting these two apertures and isolating them from the space between the inner casing and the outer casing,

6. A cooking device comprising in combination a suction box, suction means connected to said box, an outer casing supported by its own weight upon the suction box, centering means for said outer casing associated with said box, a stand member supported by its own weight upon the suction box, an inner casing spaced from said outer casing and supported by its own weight on said stand member, centering meansfor the inner casing associated with said stand member, a food container spaced from said inner casing and supported by its own'weight on said inner casing, centering means for said food container associated with'the inner casing, a; peripheral flange member extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top edge of the food container and supported by its own weight on the outer casing, centering means for said flange, heating means in the space between the food container and the inner casing, a communication between the suction box and the space between the inner and outer casings, and manually operable valve means controlling said communication.

7. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the food container, an outer casing spaced fromand surrounding the inner casing and having its top edge located at a relatively short distance above the top edge of the food container, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top of the food container, heating means located in the heating space between the food container and the inner casing, an apertured cover normally supported at a relatively short distance above the peripheral flange, a member normally closing the aperture in said cover and means for moving said member so as to uncover said aperture whilst permitting the cover to seat on the flange.

8. A cooking device comprising in combination a food container open at the top, an inner casing spaced from and surrounding the food container, an outer casing spaced from and surrounding the inner casing and having its topedge located at a relatively short distance above the top edge of the food container, a peripheral flange member carried by and extending inwardly from the top edge of the outer casing somewhat over the top of the food container, heating means located in the heating space between the food container and the inner casing, an apertured cover, a member normally closing the aperture in said cover and supporting the cover at a relatively short distance above the peripheral flange and means for moving said member so as to uncover said aperture whilst permitting the cover to seat on the flange.

CHARLES EDWARD ROSS. THOMAS EDGAR PERKS. 

